Compare towns
Bowdoin vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bowdoin has the most affordable homes ($293k median).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Bowdoin | Wells |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 3,188Lowest |
11,713Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±10Lowest about the ME average |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
| Wells and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±6.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Bowdoin and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wells and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $91,239±$13kHighest 22% above ME |
$88,024±$11kLowest 18% above ME |
| Bowdoin and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $292,800±$71kLowest about the ME average |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,350±$297 19% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,375Highest 11% above ME |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Wells and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1989Lowest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
28 minLowest 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.7%±7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wells and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #28 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | None in town | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4 |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet |
ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.